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Anabaptist Disabilities Network's Congregational Assessment Survey is helps your congregation assess its level of accessibility to people with various disabilities, including mental illness. Our two goals are to celebrate progress you are already making and to provide additional suggestions to increase your accessibility.
ADN will use your results from the Congregational Assessment Survey to create an ADN Accessibility Seal for use on your congregational website. This will be sent by email in both .jpg and .pdf formats.
The Accessibility Seal (shown here) has five emblems for each area of accessibility. Congregations can apply for emblems in as many of the five categories as desired. Meeting the majority of the requirements in a category will result in an emblem on your congregation's seal. If you do not meet the requirements for an emblem, ADN will provide resources and guidance for your congregation.
The five areas of accessibility, in the order they appear on the seal:
- Mobility: Congregations meet the criteria outlined for Parking, Entrance, Interior, Restrooms, and Worship Area.
- Hearing: Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) and other aids are provided for those who are hard of hearing.
- Sign Language: Adequate sign language interpretation is provided.
- Vision: Aids are provided for people who have difficulty seeing. These aids can be in the form of large print, digital materials for personal devices and/or projection.
- Support: The congregation supports inclusion of people with disabilities and mental illness through awareness-raising events, educational materials and activities, support groups, and provision for individual differences in gifts, behavior, and learning style. This emblem will be awarded by meeting some criteria in each area.
To best use this tool, we suggest following these steps:
- Download a copy of the Congregational Accessibility Survey. Use the printed survey to walk through your church building and note your responses.
- Contact us with questions or if you would like an ADN consultant to help you with this assessment process.
- Fill out the online Congregational Accessibility Survey.
- ADN staff will be in contact with your seal and next steps for increasing your congregation's accessibility.
If you would prefer a shorter version, called the "checklist," click this link: Quick-Checklist.pdf. This does not replace the survey, and will not make you eligible for badges.
